How do i repair a tear in an oil painting i recently purchased?

Question

How do i repair a tear in an oil painting i recently purchased?

Answer 1

If your oil painting is of some value, or you wish to repair it to be invisible it is really best left to a professional restorer - it can take years of apprenticeship to become a restorer so they know what they are doing!

I have repaired a few tears in the past, and generally do what is termed an "honest repair" where the rip is sealed without repainting over the top, it is still visible to some extent and is mostly done to ensure that the canvas doesn't deteriorate any further.

Theres a link below with some good information on how to do this, and the beeswax/damar mix they suggest ensures your repairs can be removed in the future if you wish to take it to a professional restorer.

However if the canvas is of little monetary value and  you wish to repair simply for aesthetics you can use their same procedure by simply using a varnish or PVA glue - just do a spot check in a corner on the back to make sure the adhesivedoesn'tt buckle the canvas as it dries.

:-)